The Human Rights Dimension of REDD

Abstract

ince 2007, parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change have been negotiating ‘policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries; and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries’, commonly referred to as ‘REDD’. Although the related mechanism remains in fieri at the time of writing, this article analyzes areas of overlap between REDD and international instruments dealing with the protection of human rights. Far from being merely a theoretical question, this issue has attracted increasing attention as negotiations on REDD pro- gressed. The article gives an account of this ongoing debate, and investigates the scope to create synergies between REDD and human rights instruments.

Keywords: human rights; climate change; REDD+; forest